Automobile heater



April 4, 1933. J. M. HowE AUTOMOBILE HEATER Filed Aug. 20, 1930 Patented Apr. 4, 1933 .TAKES M. HOWE, QF CLEVELAND HEIGETS.0H, ASSIGNOR T EATON-MANUFACTUB- ING COM'PANY, 0I' CLEVEL D, OHIO, A CORPORATION .OF OHIO auronoann mman.

Application mea august 2o. 1930. serial No. 476,555.

This invention relates to automobile heaters, and more particularly to devices'of this character associated with the exhaust pipe from the motor, in order to utilize the heat of the exhaust gases for heating air for lliiel passenger compartment of a motor ve- It is an object of the invention to simplify and improve the construction and operation of devices of this character to render them inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted lfor the Ypurposes set forth.

Another object of the invention is to im# prove the heat 'radiating and air baiiling provisions of devices of this character. p

A further object is to provide a readily removable cover for the heater to facilitate j the outlet 17. The edges of the cover areA cleaning the fins.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent as the following description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanyin drawing, in which Y igure 1 is a view partly in ,elevation and partly in longitudinal section throu h an automobile heater according to .the pre erred embodiment of the present invention; l

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken along the llne 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a development of the heat radiating fins;

Fig. 4 is anA enlarged detail sectionshowing the moun on the central tu Y Fig. 5 is a detail perspective. view of one of the annular members forming the heat radiating fins' and Fig. 6 is a detail section showing a modified construction for holdingthe the tube. f

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the heater comprises a centralY -tube"10` one end ofwhichis slotted as at for connection to the Vmotor exhast pipe, 'as by means of a clamp1`2. The other end of theV tube 10 slottedl as at 36 is 'prvidedwith a similar clamp 13, for clam ing iover the re-l maining portion of the ust pipe. The tube 10 must be im rforate, but the same may-be of welded tu or other construcof the outer endsv of the heat radiating lins lense shoulder 23 ofthe next series, and longitution which is adequately impervious to revent escape of exhaust gases therethroug Surrounding the tube' 10 is a casing 14, preferably constructed of sheet metal, and defining with the tube 10 an annular air chamber 15, provided adjacent one end with a fresh air inlet 16, and adjacent the other end with. an outlet 17 for the heated air.

The outlet 17 may be connected in any desired manner to the passenger compartment of the automobile. f'

The casing 14 comprises a pair of annular headers 30 which are stamped into channel cross-section, forming inner lian es 31 which are welded to tube 10, an outer- 'langes 32, around which is wrapped'a sheet metal cover 33, containing the inlet 16 and the, plane of the main portion of then.-

The ns 18 are preferably/ connected by an .annular flange 21 extending around thetube 10. Y -In the form shown, the fins are constructed by stamping out annular rings from sheet metal, such as shown in Fi 5, in which the Afins 18 are integral with tie flange 21 and radiate therefrom, portions of the metal be- 1 ing.- cut away between the fins and the vanesl 20 being bent down from .the edges thereof. lAs shown in Fig.` 4, the annular flange 21 is tapered,slotted as at 22, and is provided with a shoulder, 23. This arrangement permits the flanges 21 to be tted over the tube 10 in a'A sort of nested relation, in that the dinal'pressure u on the nested members will cause thel shoul ers 23 to clamp the flanges 21 tightly against. the tube 10, which is preferably coated with an iron cement 37, such as sal ammoniac and iron fillings, before y 21 of one series will project under the assembly, to insure a good joint between the flanges 21 and the tube 10.

The annular members may be assembled by means of bolts 24, which are passed alternatef ly through thevapertures of the staggered fins, and alternately through the slots between the fins of. the intermediate discs. After assembly u on the tube 10, these bolts may be tightene to cause the clamping of the Han es 21. The vanes of the fins 18 are pre erably arranged as shown in Fig. 3, so as to define substantially helical channels extending through the air chamber 15.

The iins l18 sarranged as described above, are very eicient for heat transfer purposes. The tight joint between the flanges 21 and the tube 10 insures rapid radiation through the fins 18, and the passa e of the air to heated through the centra apertures of the fins insures heat transfer from the, fins to the air being heated. At the same time the helical channels provided by the vanes 20 insure circumferential as well as longitudinal travel of the air throu h the chamber 15, and thus l prevent any oc eting or dead spots in the circulation o the air.

To insure corresponding heat transfer from the exhaust gases to the tube 10, a helical baille 25 is fitted in the tube 10, and preferably comprises a Hat strip of sheet'metal, given a hal turn or more to bring it into the desired helical form, the ends of the strip bemg secured as at 26 to the tube 10 by spot weldlng or other suitable connection.

The manufacture of the heater may be varied by assembling the annular members on the tube under pressure, and welding theY flanges to the tube at each end while under pressure. Thus the bolts 24 may be omitted,-

other means being employed for alignment during assembly. In lieu of welding, beads 39 may be formed in the tube after assembly under pressure, to hold the members in position, as shown in Fig. 6.

The fins have a further utility in retainy ing foreign particles carried by the fresh air,

thus cleaningl the airto be heated. The accumulated particles may be removed from the fins by.merely removing the cover 14, which is preferably formed o two halves made by the same dies, the crimp joints 38 permitting y ready removal.

While one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in such detail as to enable any one skilled in the art to practice the invention, nevertheless itis to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to any of the details disclosed, other than'` as necessitated by the development of the priorv art, but,"instead, it is to be understood that the invention embraces such embodiments ofthe broad idea as fall within the scope of the appended claims, it being obvious that changes may be resorted to with respect to the disclosed invention without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim 1s: v

1. In an automobile heater, in combination, a central tube adapted to receive the motor exhaust gases, a casing surrounding said tube and forming therewith an annular air chamber, said chamber having an inlet and an outlet, and a pluralit of staggered radial fins therebetween, said fins having central apertures, and retaining means extending longitudinall -of said chamber and passingy alternately t rough said apertures and between said fins.

2. In an automobile heater, in combination, a central tube adapted to receive the motor exhaust gases, channel shaped annular headers having their inner flanges secured to said tube, a series of annularly spaced radial fins mounted on said tube between said headers, means for securing said fins on said tube, and a cylindrical cover secured to the outer flanges of said headers and having an air inlet andan air outlet therein.

3. In an automobile heater, in combination, a central tube adapted to receive the motor exhaust gases, a casing surrounding said tube and forming therewlth an annular air chamber, said chamber having an inlet and an outlet, and a plurality of annular sheet metal members therebetween having central annular flan es interfitting and secured to said tube, sald annular members being radially slotted to form heat radiating fins, said iins having central apertures, and flanges on one side of said lins, said annular members being staggered, and bolts passing alternately through the slots and apertures to hold said flanges in position to form helical channels in said annular air chamber.

4. In an automobile heater, in combination, a central tube adapted to receive the motor exhaust gases, a casing surrounding.

air chamber, said chamber havin an inlet and an outlet, and a lurality of ongitudinally spaced radial ns therebetween, said Ains having a tapered connecting flange extending around said tube, the flange -associated with certain of said fins intertting with the flange associated with the longitudinally adjacent fins, said flanges being assembled under pressure, and said tube having beads formed therein engaging the end fianges for holding the flanges therebetween on said tube.

6. In an automobile heater, in combination, a central tube adapted to receive the motor exhaust gases, annular headers secured to said tube, a series of spaced radial ins mounted on said tube between said headers, and a removable cylindrical cover, having intertting edge portions, said interftting portions including a folded portion adjacent one of said edges and clamps for removably securing said sections to said headers.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiix my signature.

JAMES M.- HOWE, 

